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(No Model.)

B.v J. STURTEVANT.

. SEAL. No. 514,786. Patented Feb. 13; 1894.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOH ATTORNEYS.

NITED STATES BENJAMIN J. STURTEVANT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,786, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed April 18, 1393.

To all whom it may concern.-

. mail bags and other articles.

The invention consists of a tag made of clay or other suitable material and formed with a recess into which opens a slot, and a spring hook adapted to be drawn into the said recess and having sharp or pointed ends engaging the walls of the slots.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims. v

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the strip holding the tag. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spring hook. Fig. 3 is a like view of the tag. Figs. 4 and 5 are end views of the same. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the strip as applied on the car door staple. Fig.7 is a like view of the same with the seal and hook on the strip, part of the latter being in section. Fig. 8 is a front view of the improvement as applied; and Fig.9 is a sectional front View of the same.

The improved seal is provided with a strip or band A of tin or other'suitable material, formed at its ends with apertures A adapted to be engaged by aspring hook B at the time the strip is doubled up and engaged With the parts to be sealed, as hereinafter more fully described.

The spring hook B is approximately U- shaped and has partof its members B, B bent outward in opposite directions, as is plainly shown in Figs.'2, 7 and 9. The ends B of the members are beveled or pointed for the purpose hereinafter more fully explained. The hook'B is adapted to pass into a recess C formed lengthwise in one end of the tag 0, made of clay or other suitable material and Serial No. 470,882. (No model.)

marked on one or all of its sides with characters appropriate to the purpose for which the seal is intended, see Fig. 3. I

The recess 0 is preferably in the shape of a cross, as is plainly indicated in Figs. 4. and 7, and the inner end of the said recess terminates in a slot 0 extending clear through the other end of the tag, and of a size to admit the doubled up strip A, but to prevent the passage of the hook B, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 9.

The seal is used as follows: The strip A is first passed through the parts to be locked, and if -used on a car door is passed through the staples D, D, secured to the door E and door frame E respectively. The strip is then bent upon itself and the ends are passed.

through the slotC and recess 0' of the tag 0, after which the hook B is engaged with the apertures A of the strip A, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The operator thenmoves the tag 0 outward on the strip A, to cause the tag to pass over the hook B, thereby causing the members B 'to compress slightly in the recess 0' and to finally seat the hook in the inner end of the recess 0, as is shown in Fig. 9.

The seal is now applied and cannot be tampered with by removing the tag, as the points B of the hook members B embed themselves in the soft material of the tag and prevent the latter from being slipped inward on the strip A.

7 It will be seen that this seal is very Simple and durable in construction, and can be cheaply manufactured and easily applied.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A seal comprising the frangible hollow tag open at its lower end and having a slot in its upper end communicating with its recessed interior, a strip or band adapted to be passed through the recess and slot from the lower end of the tag and a self locking fastening device for the lower end of the strip and adapted to be drawn into the tag through the lower open end thereof by the said strip, substantially as set forth. I

2. A seal comprising a tag made of clay or like material, and formed'with a recess into which opens a slot, a strip or band adapted to be drawn through the said recess and slot,

and a hook held on the said strip or band and adapted to be seated on the inner end of the said recess, the said hook having spring members bent outward and provided with sharpened ends to engage the walls of the recess, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a seal, the hollow frangible tag open at its lower end and having a slot in its upper end communicating with its recessed interior, said recess being'crueiform in transverse cross [3 section, substantially as set forth.

BENJAMIN J. STURTEVANT.

Witnesses:

J. THEO. MILLER, L. B. ALLEN. 

